Chantal sutherland and mike smith still dating

– As old as they are, Gary Stevens and Mike Smith are supposed to be a little bitter by now, reminding folks of their former glories while complaining of how they’re being unfairly snubbed while the younger guys get legged up on the better horses. In the context of world-class athletics, yes, they are old: Stevens is 50 and Smith is 48.

But when the Breeders’ Cup is run this weekend at Santa Anita for the 30th time, no other riders will be better-mounted, as they say, and that’s a testament to how these two remarkable jockeys are still riding in the same form that got them inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame. Stevens and Smith live just a couple of miles from each other in nearby Sierra Madre, Calif., and have been good friends for nearly 30 years, having leaned on each other frequently to confide in someone who knows precisely the ups and downs of a superstar jockey.

Smith, who has no children, was married for 14 years before being divorced from the former Patrice Lively, the daughter of jockey John Lively, and was famously involved for several years with fellow jockey Chantal Sutherland before that relationship ended in 2010.

He said that surpassing legendary riders Jerry Bailey (in wins) and Pat Day (in earnings) remains “very humbling, very gratifying.” “I look back at where I started and it’s hard for me to get a grasp on all that kind of stuff,” Smith said.He is named to ride in 12 BC races, with his best hopes being Game On Dude, the solid favorite for the Classic, as well as Royal Delta (Distaff), Little Mike (Turf), Mizdirection (Turf Sprint), Tap It Rich (Juvenile), and Outstrip (Juvenile Turf).Game On Dude, trained by Bob Baffert, has not lost in six starts since finishing seventh as the 6-5 favorite in the 2012 Classic.Fast-forward through those incredible individual histories, and here’s the distillation: both say they’re living the dream despite what Father Time says they should be doing, a fortuitous combination of hard work and good fortune having landed them both squarely in the spotlight of yet another Breeders’ Cup. Sure I do,” said Stevens, whose retirement in November 2005 lasted a little more than seven years before he returned to the saddle in early January and became one of the biggest racing stories of 2013 with his sensational comeback.“Last year at Breeders’ Cup, I was here just planning to get fit and healthy again, and had no clue I’d be in this position a year later.